Staple cutter



Jan. 1, 1957 K. H. ANTHONY STAPLE CUTTER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 17, 1953 w, M n I WWZ 37/ m Wm r y/W my b 4 A STAPLE CUTTER 2 SheetsSheet 2 Filed Nov. 17, 1953 United States Patent STAPLE CUTTER Kenneth H. Anthony, East Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to Industrial Rayon Corporation, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Application November 17, 1953, Serial No. 392,555

17 Claims. (Cl. 164--61) tubular, continuous filament feeding device, and a rotatseries of knives or a reciprocating cutting knife, or a centrifugal filament feeding means rotating relative a stationary knife blade. Knife blades in such cutters have to be sharpened or replaced atfrequent intervals, and stand-by units must be provided for continuation of the cutting process. The present invention advantageously provides for a cutter where the cutting knife will last for an extended period before requiring to be resharpened or replaced.

In accordance with the present invention, a rope or tow of continuous filaments is conducted (by a filament conducting means) to a cutting means through a passage in a tube, spindle or the like rotatable about its longitudinal axis and having an eccentrically positioned filament outlet. The outlet being eccentrically positioned relative to the axis of the filament feeding means describes an orbit. When the filament conducting passage is rotated, the outlet is occluded by the cutting means during a part of its orbit. The length of the continuous filaments or tow extending out of the outlet being projected therefrom during the non-occluded part of the outlets orbit forms the staple length. These lengths are transversely severed into staple when the outlet rotates past the cutting means into the occluded part of its orbitl Advantageously the cutting means is a rotating cutting wheel having a knife edge about its circumference and the rotatable filament conducting passage with the eccentric outlet may have a central filament inlet into which the filaments are directed. The passage is positioned substantially perpendicularly to the plane of the cutting wheel, and the structure which forms the passage is advantageously positioned with its longitudinal axis of rotation about intersecting the knife edge of the cutting wheel. A

plurality of filament conducting passages may be em- 'ployed to provide for the severance of a plurality of the continuous filaments by a single cutting wheel, especially when a rotary cutting Wheel is used. The filaments may be conducted through the rotating passages by pneumatic means, although other means may be employed. Where pneumatic means are used an air cut-off valve may be utilized at the inlet end of a passage to cooperate with the rotating passage for admission of air for forcing the filaments therethrough whenever the eccentric outlet of the passage is not occluded by the cutting means. The inlet end of the passage may be ported to function as an integral part of the valve for admitting air from the valve into the passage;

I The aforesaid advantages of the cutter of this invention and others will be more specifically shown and described in the following specification and the drawing.

2,776,005 Patented Jan. 1, 1957 In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of the cutter of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a further view of the cutter of Figure 1 showing the eccentric filament outlet being occluded by the cutting wheel;

Figure 3 is a front sectional view of an embodiment of the cutter taken along 33 in Figure 4;

Figure 4 is a side sectional view of the complete cutter of Figure 3, excepting the drive means, taken along the plane of section line 4-4 in Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a sectional View of an air port in the inlet end of the filament passage and part of the valve body taken along 5-5 in Figure 4;

Figure 6 is the same view as shown in Figure 5 with the air port in the passage rotated to close off the entry of air into the passage; and

Figure] is a schematic front view of a plurality of filament passages positioned about the same cutting wheel.

With reference to Figures 1 and 2, illustrating the principle of the present invention, a cylindrical bar 9 having a filament conducting passage 10, rotatable about its central longitudinal axis, in the direction illustrated by the arrows, has a central filament inlet 11 and an eccentrio filamentoutlet 22. A rope or tow 13 of continuous filaments is conducted through the passage 10 to the cutting means which is a revolving, cutting wheel 14 having a knife edge about its circumference. As the passage 10 rotates, the eccentric filament outlet 12 is occluded by the cutting means during a part of its orbit. During the nonoccluded part of the outlets orbit, the tow 13 is forced out by a filament moving means into the knife path to be transversely severed 'into the staple fiber lengths 15 when the outlet 12 rotates past the cutting knife. With each complete rotation of the passage 10 another length of staple fibers are severed from the tow 13.

The length of the staple fibers cut from the tow during each revolution of the passage depends upon the length of tow forced out of the outlet 12while it is not occluded by the cutting knife 14. This is a function of the rate at which the filaments are conducted through the passage by the filament conducting means, and the speed of rotation of the outlet 12.

As mentioned, it is advantageous to employ a cutting wheel 14 as the cutting means since it can be more readily used at higher rotational rates, and the filaments are cut more cleanly for over a longer period of operation, and the wear upon the cutting edge is more evenly distributed.

Referring to Figures 3 and 4, a more specific embodiment of the cutter is illustrated, generally, by the reference numeral 19. As shown it comprises an assembly in a support housing 21 on a base 20. A cutting wheel 22 mounted on a shaft 24 and having a knife edge 23 around its circumference, is rotatably supported in the housing 21 by a pair of ball bearings 28 separated by a spacer 29. The cutting wheel 22 is held on the shaft 24 by screws 25. A hearing retainer 26, which fits about the shaft 24 and is secured to the support housing 21 by screws 27, maintains the assembly against displacement. While ball bearings in the cutter are advantageous, other types of bearings may also be suitable.

A pair of cylindrical spindles 35 are rotatably mounted in the support housing 21, each supported in a pair of ball bearings 41 separated by spacers 42. The spindles 35 are positioned above and about the shaft 24 and are disposed substantially perpendicular to and abutting the edge of the cutting wheel 22 and being substantially parallel to the shaft 24. The bearing retainers 39 for the bearings 41 are held on the support housing 21 by means of the screws 40.

Each ,of the spindles 35 rotates about a central longitudinal axis which about intersects the knife edge 23 of the cutting wheel 22. Through each spindle there is a filament conducting passage having a centrally positioned filament inlet 36, and an eccentric filament. outlet 37. During rotationthe outlet 37 is occluded,by. the cutting wheel 22 for a part of its orbit.

The spindle 35 in the support housing 21 isjournaled at its inlet end in an annular valvebody 45 having an air orifice 46. The spindle 35 is recessed at itsinlet end.v to provide for an air port38 to admit air into thespindle passage from the air orifice 46 in the valve body 45 for forcing a filament towduring a portionof each spindle revolution. As illustrated in Figures and 6, the spindle 35 when mounted in theannular valve body 45 functions as an integral part of the cut-oifvalve by sealingoif the entrance of air from the air orifice 46 when the air port 38 in the spindle is rotated away from the orifice (as shown specifically in Figure 5). In Figure 6, the recessed air port 38in spindle 35 isshown matching the air orifice 46 in the valve body 45 so as to admitair into the passageway through the inlet 36 during a part of each revolution made by the spindle. The air port 38 at the inlet end of the spindle 35 is correlated to the outlet 37 to admit air into the spindle passage from the air orifice when the outlet is not being occluded by the edge of the cutting wheel. The air port 38 is synchronized with the forcing of filaments through the passage with the non-occluded phase of the filament outlets rotation. A conduit means 50 is attached to each air orifice 46 in the annular valve bodies 45 for providing air under compression from the supply source to the valve.

The spindles are provided with driving gears 55 which mesh with the gear 56 positioned about the shaft 24. The gear 56 is retained in place by a collar 57 and a set screw 58. The gear 56 is driven in turn by gear 60 which is driven by a suitable driving means such as an electric motor 70. The gear 60 is fixed to the gear hub 62 by means of screws 61 andthe gear hub 62 is fixed to the motor shaft 65 by. means of set screw 63. The motor 70 is mounted on a base 20 by meansof the bolts 71 through mounting strips 72. The entire gear train maybe covered with a cover plate 69fastened on the support housing 21.

A tow of continuous filaments is passed into each spindle 35-passage by being directed through the filament inlets 36.by a funnel-like-filament nozzle 47 attachedto the annular valve body 45. The filament nozzle 47 'protects the filaments from a direct blastof air from the port 38 and it directs the air from the port towards the filament outlet 37 to force the filaments through the passage. The filament nozzle also facilitates the entry of tow into the filament inlet 36. The tow is forced throughthe passage by the air admitted into the passage. through the port 46 during the time when the filament outlet is not occluded by the cutting wheel 22, and it is forced out of the filament outlet 37 by the air to be transversely severed into staple fiber lengths when the outlet 37 rotates past the knife edge 23 of the cutting wheel. The staple fiber lengths cut from the tow. are propelled through a collect? ing tube 80 by the exhaust force. of the air from the filament outlets 37. The collecting tube 80, which may be of plastic or other suitable material, is fastened by means of a screw 82 to a mounting block 81 which is attached to acutting wheel guard-75.' The cutting Wheel guard 75 is secured to the support housing 21 by the threaded bolt 76 tapped into the housing 21.

Figure 7 illustrates schematically a cutting means comprising a rotatable cutting wheel .90 rotating on a shaft 91 having a knife edge 92 around-its circumference and a plurality of five rotatable filament conducting passages 95 feeding tow to be served into staple fiber lengths. Eachof the passages 95 has a central filament inlet 96 and an eccentric outlet 97 which rotate so as to have part of their orbits occuled by. the cutting means. The passages 95 rotate in a direction opposite to thedirection-of rotation ofthe cuttingv wheel as indicated by the arrows.

Advantageously each of the outlets 97 rotate out of phase from one another by an approximately equivalent amount totaling about 360 degrees of a circle. In this manner a more uniform production of staple may be achieved by a cutter. However, the phase variations of the filament outlets need not be varied at all, or they may be related in any other suitable arrangement. While only a single filament conducting passageway may be employed with each cutting means, it is generally advantageous to employ a plurality of passages with each cutting means in a'cutter.

Although a particular type of cut-off valve for forcing the filaments through the passageway has been described, it is to be understood that other types of pneumatic cutoff valves synchronized to cooperate with the filament outlet may be employed for'admitting air into the passage to force the filaments therethrough. Other filament conducting means such as feed rolls, thread-advancing reels or conveyor belts may also be employed in accordance with the present invention for forcing the continuous filaments through the passage.

It is also advantageous for the cutting wheel to be selfsharpening, This may be readily accomplished by providing independent honing means onthe housing to sharpen the rotating cutting wheel during operation, or by sharpening the knife edge on the end or ends of the abutting spindle or spindles having mounted in their faces an abrasive material. If desired, other types of. cutting means may be employed with the cutter for severing the tow feed throughthe eccentric filament outlet into staple. For example, a stationary or reciprocating knife blade may be employed in the cutter. With a reciprocating knife blade, a continuously different part of the knife edge is used for cutting the tow.

If desired, the filament conducting means for forcing the filaments through the passage to the cutting means may be solely by vacuum means applied on the filament outlets through the collecting tube. For example, a suction device (not shown) may be positioned at the end of the collecting tubeand the filaments forced through the passage by. the effect of the vacuum thereby created. In sucha case the staple fiber lengths cut from the tow are propelled through the collecting tube by the effect of the vacuum which with-draws the tow from the filament outlets.

The cut staple fiber lengths can be removed, or may be assisted in their removal, from the collecting tube 80 to a bin or other storage compartment by means of a suction or aspirator device (not shown) even when pneumatic or other means are employed for forcing the tow through the passages.

As a wide variety of difierent embodiments and modifications. of the present invention maybe entered into without departing from its spirt or scope, it is to be understood that the foregoing specification be taken as illustrative only and in no sense limiting of the. invention excepting as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A cutter for severing continuous filaments into staple fiber lengths comprising, in combination, a rotatable cuttingwheel having-a knife edge about its circumference; means to rotate said ,wheel; at least one passage being rotatable about its longitudinal axis for conducting said filaments to said-cutting wheel; means to rotate said passage, said passage being substantially perpendicular to the plane. of said cutting wheel and positioned with its longitudinalaxis intersecting the knife edge of said cutting wheel; acentral filament inlet at=one end of said rotatable passage and an eccentric filament outlet at'the other end of said passage, said outlet, when said passage is rotated, having a part'of its orbit occluded by said cutting wheel; a pneumatic. cut-.off valve cooperating with saidpassage and positioned at its inlet end for admitting air to said passage to force said filamentary material therethrough while said outletrof saidpassage is not occluded by said cutting wheel; means for gathering saidstaple-fiber-lengths-from said cutting wheel; and means for providing air under compression to said cut-off valve.

2. A cutter for severing continuous filaments into staple fiber lengths comprising, in combination, a support housing; a rotating cutting wheel on a shaft in said housing having a knife edge about its circumference; at least one passage being mounted to rotate about its axis in said housing for conducting said filaments to said cutting wheel, said passage beingpositioned with its longitudinal axis about intersecting the knife edge of said cutting wheel and being substantially parallel to said shaft and substantially perpendicular to the plane of said cutting wheel; a filament inlet centrally positioned at one end of said passage and an eccentric filament outlet at the other end of said passage, said outlet, when said passage is rotated, having a part of its orbit occluded by said cutting wheel; a pneumatic cut-off valve adapted to cooperate with said passage and positioned at its inlet end for admitting air to said passage for forcing said filaments therethrough while said outlet of said passage is not occluded by said cutting Wheel; means providing air under compression to said cut-off valve; and means to rotatably drive said shaft and said filament passage.

3. A cutter for severing continuous filaments into staple fiber lengths comprising, in combination, a support housing; a rotating cutting wheel on a shaft in said housing having a knife edge about its circumference; at least one spindle rotatably mounted in said housing being positioned with its longitudinal axis about intersecting the knife edge of said cutting wheel and being substantially parallel to said shaft and substantially perpendicular to the plane of said cutting wheel, said spindle having an interior filament conducting passage with a central inlet and an eccentric outlet, said outlet being occluded by said cutting wheel during a portion of each revolution of said spindle; a pneumatic valve, positioned at the inlet end of said rotating spindle, adapted to cooperate with said rotating spindle for admitting air through said inlet into said passage for forcing said filaments therethrough while said outlet of said passage is not occluded by said cutting wheel; means for providing air under compression to said valves; and means for rotatably driving said shaft and said spindle.

4. A cutter for severing continuous filaments into staple fiber lengths comprising, in combination, a support housing, a rotating cutting wheel on a shaft in said housing having a knife edge about its circumference; at least one spindle rotatably mounted in said housing abutting said cutting Wheel and being positioned with its longitudinal axis about intersecting the knife edge of said cutting wheel and being substantially parallel to said shaft and substantially perpendicular to said cutting wheel; drive means interconnecting said spindle and said shaft; said spindle having an interior filament conducting passage with a central inlet and an eccentric outlet, said outlet being occluded by said cutting wheel during a portion of each revolution of said spindle; a pneumatic valve, positioned at the inlet end of said rotating spindle, adapted to cooperate with said rotating spindle for admitting air through said inlet into said passage for forcing said filaments therethrough while said outlet of said passage is not occluded by said cutting wheel; means for providing air under compression to said valve; means for gathering said staple fiber lengths from said cutting wheel; and means for rotatably driving said shaft.

5. A cutter in accordance with claim 4 wherein said staple fiber gathering means is a conduit attached to said housing and enclosing said cutting wheel through which said staple fiber is propelled by the force of air vented from said outlet in said spindle.

6. A cutter in accordance with claim 4 wherein a plurality of said spindles are mounted rotatably in said housing and wherein said eccentric outlets in said spindles are rotated in varying phases while being occluded during parts of their orbits by said cutting wheel.

7. A cutter" in accordance with claim 6 wherein said ecentric outlets "in said plurality of spindles are rotated out of phase from one another in approximately equivalent amounts totalling about 360 degrees of a circle.

8. A cutter in accordance with claim 4 wherein said drive means interconnecting said shaft and said spindle are gear means.

9. A cutter for severing continuou filaments into staple fiber lengths comprising, in combination, a support housing, a rotating cutting wheel on a shaft in said housing having a knife edge about its circumference; means for rotatably driving said shaft; a plurality of cylindrical spindles rotatably mounted in said housing about said shaft, each of said spindles abutting said cutting wheel and being positioned substantially parallel to said shaft and substantially perpendicular to said cutting wheel; gear means in said housing interconnecting each of said spindles to said shaft; each of said spindles having an interior filament conducting passage with a central inlet and an eccentric outlet; an air port in the wall of each spindle at its inlet end; each of said outlets being occluded by said cutting wheel during a part of the revolution of each spindle while said outlets are being rotated out of phase from one another by a synchronized, approximately equivalent amount totalling about 360 degrees of a circle; a plurality of annular valve bodies mounted in said housing in which the ported inlet ends of said spindles are journaled; each of said valve bodies having an air orifice adapted to being opened when said air port in said spindle journaled therein is rotated past said orifice thereby admitting air into said passage in each of said spindles for forcing said filaments therethrough; said air ports being correlated with said eccentric outlet in each of said spindles to rotate past said air orifices in said valve bodies while said outlets are not being occluded by said cutting wheel; means providing air under compression to the air orifices in each of said annular valve bodies; a funnel-like filament nozzle extending through each of said valve bodies into the inlets of each of said filament passages in said spindles for directing said filaments therethrough; and a conduit attached to said housing through which said staple fiber is propelled by the force of air vented from said outlets in said spindles to be subsequently gathered.

10. A cutter in accordance with claim 9 wherein said spindle ends abutting on said cutting wheel are adapted to continuously hone the knife edge of said cutting wheel while said wheel is being rotated.

11. A cutter in accordance with claim 9 wherein said spindles and said shaft are rotatably mounted in ball bearings in said support housing.

12. A cutter in accordance with claim 9 wherein two rotating spindles are rotatably mounted above and about said shaft in said support housing and wherein said spindles are synchronized to rotate with their eccentric outlets out of phase from one another by about approximately degrees of a circle.

13. A cutter in accordance with claim 9 wherein the inserted ends of said filament nozzles in said filament inlets assist in directing the passage of air through said air ports toward said filament outlets of said spindles.

14. A cutter in accordance with claim 9 wherein said means to rotatably drive said shaft is an electric motor connected with said shaft.

15. In combination in a cutter for severing continuous filaments into staple fiber lengths; a cutting means; at least one filament feeding means having a passage rotatable about its longitudinal axis associated with said cutting means, said axis being generally normal to the plane of said cutting means and said passage having an outlet end eccentric to the axis of rotation; means for conducting said filaments through said feeding means; and means for rotating said feeding means, the passage outlet end being occluded by said cutting means during part of its rotation.

16. A cutter for severing continuous filaments into staple fiber lengths comprising; in combination with a cutting means; at least one filament feeding-element rotatable-about its longitudinal axis having a passage for conducting said filaments to said cutting means; means for rotating said filament feeding element; said passage in saidfilament feeding element being at an angle to the said feeding element axis so that its outlet end-is offset from the said element axis; said passage during part of the rotation of said feeding element having its outlet 17. A- cutter-in accordancewith-claim 16 wherein said cutting means is a cutting wheel having a knife edge about its circumference.

1,059,268 Bond Apr. 15, 1913 1,653,257 Davis Dec. 20, 1927 1,895,048 Rose Jan. 24, 1933 2,207,383 Rodenackeret a1 July 9, 1940 2,563,986 Bauer Aug. 14, 1951 

